I hope Zuckerberg understands they could elegantly transition Instagram to becoming a Facebook product without ruining it. They should use Instagram as a way to gain new users and explore a new space, a new area of mobile. It’s uncharted territory for big companies like Facebook.

Facebook has the resources, scale, and talent to keep Instagram as it is, possibly better, perhaps more connected to the social network.

I have no doubt they can, but the question is if they will.

Or, perhaps better yet, do they want to? Does Facebook want to keep Instagram thriving in its own, active development or would they prefer to fold the whole thing into Facebook’s universe?

If Instagram starts requiring a Facebook login to use it, then we’ll know the answer. And not just about Facebook’s original intentions with Instagram, but also about their intentions for any future acquisitions.